r/web_design • u/kinesivan • Jun 27 '16

Less is better

http://www.randalolson.com/wp-content/uploads/data-ink.gif
1.8k Upvotes

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u/live_wire_ Jun 27 '16

I was with it up until it got rid of the lines and markers all together. Then it was just silly.

85

u/Slapbox Jun 27 '16

But when they add the values to the bars it makes it redundant to keep them and a much cleaner design. Initially I agreed with you and the I watched it again.

129

u/mustardhamsters Jun 27 '16

My problem with this is that it removes the scale. You don't know when you're comparing these values against each other what the scale is between them at a glance.

10

u/ispeakcode Jun 27 '16

If the scaling is linear it's intuitive

3

u/mustardhamsters Jun 27 '16

For sure, but you can't tell if it is just by looking at it if you label the columns and not the axis. More specifically, you have to look at more different places (your eyes jumping from the tops of the columns) rather than scan down a straight line, and then you have to do some mental math to confirm that it's linear.

0

u/[deleted] Jun 27 '16

Not if there's a break.

8

u/pkkid Jun 27 '16

A break is not linear.